Page 42 of A Warrior's Heart
“Any idea when that might be?” Ervin asked, staring after Phantos and Alek as they headed to the stream. “We came for answers. Not to waste time sitting around doing nothing.”
“The seer said answers will come to light when it’s time,” I answered. “We must have patience.”
My patience, however, began to run thin after they returned from the stream and Phantos still remained tight lipped. He showed us around his home. Troy loved the animals. He hopped inside the fenced area and played with the baby goats. He used to do the same with baby whales and schools of fish when he was younger. I’d take him and Lorcan outside the barrier and watch them as they swam and played.
“Pet him, Mal,” Troy said, smiling up at me as he scratched the head of a slobbering goat.
“I must decline.”
Troy rolled his eyes before looking at the animal. “Do not pay that grump any mind. I think you are precious.”
Ervin and Shar watched us from a distance as the seer showed us the waterfall. It was freshwater, rather than from the sea, so it was safe to drink. We helped Phantos with his daily chores of watering and feeding the animals, as well as picking vegetables from the garden to chop and cook for supper.
When night fell on the island, we built a fire outside the cave and sat under the stars.
“You have my gratitude for your warm hospitality,” Lorcan said a while later. “But I must insist we speak of why we’ve come to the island.”
“You seek the lost trident of Poseidon,” Phantos said, staring into the flickering flames of the fire.
“Yes.” Lorcan straightened his posture and looked so much like the man I’d hoped he’d become one day. Strong. Regal. “What can you tell us about it?”
Phantos clasped his hands together in his lap and tilted his head up to the night sky. “The trident is imbued with blood magic. It gave Poseidon absolute control over the sea and all its inhabitants.”
“Blood magic?” Lorcan asked.
“Yes.” Phantos looked at him. “Only Poseidon, or those with his blood, can wield it.”
The prince regarded the seer with a furrowed brow. “Why couldn’t my father come to you himself? He’s the son of Poseidon. He has his blood. Why did he send us?”
“He’s forbidden from doing so,” Phantos answered.
“Forbidden?” I asked. “For what reason?”
“Alas, it is not my place to tell you.” The seer expelled a sigh before sipping herbal tea from his cup. He’d poured us some as well, but I’d never developed a taste for teas of any sort, so it remained untouched in my mug. “All I can say is when King Triton tried to wield the trident upon Poseidon’s death, the weapon rejected him and hid itself. A protection spell conceals the trident from him to this day.”
“That’s why my father insisted that I come on this journey,” Lorcan stated, his hands clenching into tight fists. “So that when we find the trident, I can use its power. I’m nothing more than a pawn.”
“Not a pawn,” Phantos said. “A key. The fate of your people rests on your shoulders, young prince.”
Lorcan shifted closer to Alek, and the mage slipped his arm around the prince. Were they thinking of their son? Of what would happen if we failed?
“I wonder if King James knows that only someone with the blood of Poseidon can use the trident,” Troy said, resting his chin on his hands and crossing his legs.
“My dream,” Lorcan whispered, staring at the burning flames in the pit. “Ezra had the trident.” He glanced at me. “My brother is allied with the human king. I feel it.”
Phantos nodded. “A storm is nearly upon us.”
Lorcan snapped his head toward the seer. They were the same words he’d said to me once.
“You have a gift, my prince,” Phantos said. “Trust your intuition and let it guide you. Your visions are a gift from your mother.”
“You knew my mother?” Lorcan asked.
A sad smile touched the seer’s lips. “Yes, I knew her quite well. She was the oracle nymph of the sea and taught me much of what I know now. She helped me on my path. Guided me. I was a poor boy with nothing to my name, and she gave my life meaning.”
“Were you her lover?” Shar asked.
“No. I am untouched,” Phantos responded. “After she saved me from the streets, she took me to the temple of Apollo where I learned I have magic running through my veins and a gift for divination. I loved her as if she were an older sister. Then, she met King Triton, fell in love, and left to become queen of Avalontis. My fondness for her is why the king sent you to me. He knows I would never aid him, yet for her son…” He faced Lorcan. “I would offer my help. And he was correct.”
